Safety device for vehicles.



I J. B. STRAUSS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. 190'! Patented 4, 1911.

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, its object structed in any JOSEPH B. STRAUSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed November 4, 1907. Serial No. 400,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. STRAUSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illlnois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Safety Devices for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for stopping cars, and other vehicles, and has for to provide a new and improved device of this description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a modified construction; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

My present invention may be used to stop cars under any desired conditions, and I have illustrated it in connection with movable bridges, the device arranged to stop ,the car when the bridge is open so as to prevent the car from running into the open space left by the bridge when it is open.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a construction to be used in connection with a lift or bascule bridge, the main span of which is shown at 1. Associated with the main span of the bridge is an engaging piece 2 which engages an actuating part 3 connected by suitable mechanism with the stop piece 4 engaged by the car or some part connected therewith. As herein shown the engaging piece 2 is provided with a pin 5 which passes between the two projections 6 and 7 of the actuating part 3. This actuating part is rigidly connected with a shaft 8 to which is also rigidly connected an arm 9 pivotally connected with the rod or connecting piece 10. The connecting piece 10 is fastened to an arm 11 on the shaft 12, mounted in suitable bearings beneath the track on which the car runs. Fastened to this shaft 12 are two arms 13, said arms being connected by links 14 with the stop piece 4. The stop piece 4 may be condesired manner, and as herein shown is provided with two supporting pieces 15 which are pivoted at 16 to a fixed part. The roadway is cut away or recessed so as to receive the supporting pieces 15, and the stop piece 4. The car may be arranged so -as to directly engage the stop piece 4, but I prefer to provide a suitable engaging device, such, for example, as the engaging device 17 which is elastically connected with the car, as, for example, by the interposed spring 18 so that in the event the operator loses control of the car it will not be suddenly stopped, but will be radually stopped by the compression of the spring of the elastic device 18. The engaging device 17 is movably mounted upon the guide 19.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is illustrated a modified construction to be used in connection with turning bridges. In this construction the span 1 of the bridge instead of lifting remains in substantially the same horizontal plane, and moves about a pivot. In such construction the engaging piece 2 is provided with the pin 5, but such pin engages a rotating part 20 which is operatively connected with the connecting piece 10. As

herein shown the rotating part 20 is provided with a plurality of bifurcated arms 21, and is mounted upon a shaft 22, the pin 5 engaging said arms as shown in Fig. 8. Connected with the shaft 22 is a gear 23 meshing with a pinion 24 on a shaft 25 to which is connected a crank 26 fastened to the connecting piece 10. The connecting piece 10 is connected with the stop 4 in any desired manner, as by means of the arm 11, shaft 12, arms 13, and links 14. It is of course evident that any suitable connection may be made between the engaging piece 2 and the stop device 4. If desired a signaling light such as a red light can be fastened to the stop device, as shown for example at 28. It is of course evident that the stop piece may be moved to its operative position by any suitable means.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the parts will be in the position shown in full lines when the bridge is closed, thus permitting the car to pass along the track, and over the bridge. When the bridge is open the main span 1 is lifted. The pin 5 engages the ro ection 7 on the actuatlng part 3 and llftSSEtld. actuating part, thus rocking the shaft 8 which carries with it the arm 9 and the connecting piece 10. The movement of the connecting piece through the agency of arm 11, shaft 12, and arms 13 and links 14 lifts the stop device 4 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. If the car .strikes the projection 6 and moves the parts bifurcated arms 21.

- direction and it will successively engage the.

j ing of the bridge. The parts are arranged when such bridge is continuously moved forat each movement of the rotating part 20.

tion the pin 5 on the return movement will comes along when the stop device is in this lifted position the engaging part 17 strikes it and stops the car. It will thus be seen that the car will be automatically stopped when the bridge is open, and that this stop is entirely beyond the control of the person operating the car, andthat it would be impossible for the operator to run the car into the open space left by the bridge, even though he lost complete control of the car. The parts are arranged so that the stop piece will stay in its lifted operative position while the bridge is open. This result may be secured in any desired manner, as, for example, by forming the arms 13 and links 1 1 so that the point where they are pivoted will move past the line connecting the shaft 12 with the pivotal connection of the links 14 with the stop piece, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. When the bridge has moved the actuating part 3 to the'proper position, the pin 5 passes out of engagement with the ac tuating part due to the fact that the projection 7 is shorter than the projection 6, and the actuating part is left in this position. When the bridge is again closed the pin 5 back to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, thus removing the stop device from the path of the car. In the device shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the pin 5 engages one of the hen the bridge is turned it partially rotates the rotating part 20, and the pin then passes freely from the bifurcated arm. The rotation of the part 20 by means of the gear 23 and pinion 24 rotates the shaft 25. This rotation by means of the crank 26 moves the connecting piece 10 so as to move the stop device to its operative position. If, for example, the bridge is closed by returning it to its initial posiengage the bifurcated arm and move the parts back to their initial. position. If on the other hand the bridge is completely rotated the pin 5 will also move in the same bifurcated arms 20, such arms being located so that when one is moved by the opening of'the bridge the next one will be in operative position to engage the pin on the closso that the same movement of the connecting piece 10 is secured when the rotatable part 20 is rotated by the bridge in its to and fro movement, as when rotated by the bridge ward instead of being moved back to its closed position. This result is secured by arranging the crank 26 and associated parts so that the crank will make a half revolution I claim:

1. A stop device for vehicles comprising a movable stop piece normally out of the path of the vehicle, but located between the vehicle, but located between the rails onwhich the vehicle travels, said stop piece pivotally connected to a fixed part and normally in an inoperative position, actuating means out of the control of the operator of the car for moving said stop piece to its operative position said stop piece located between the wheels of the vehicle.

3. A stop device for vehicles comprising a stop piece normally out of the path of the vehicle, but located between the rails on which the vehicle travels, said stop piece normally out of the path of the vehicle, said stop piece pivotally connected at one end to a fixed part, and at the other end to a movable part, and means for lifting said movable part so as to move the stop piece to its operative position, said stop piece located between the wheels of the vehicle.

A. A stop device for vehicles comprising a stop piece, means for moving said stop piece to its operative position, and an elastic device on the vehicle for engaging said stop piece when in its operative position.

5. A stop device for vehicles comprising a stop piece, means for moving said stop piece to its operative position, an engaging device on the car for engaging said stop piece, and an elastic connection between said engaging device and the car.

6. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop piece flush with the surface along which the vehicle is traveling, and located at the approach to the bridge, and normally out of the path of vehicles passing along such approach, means for moving the stop piece to a position in the path of such vehicles, a separable connection between such means and the movable bridge toward its open position, whereby the movement of the bridge actuates said means and moves the stop device to its operative position.

7. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop piece flush with the surface along which the vehicle is traveling, and adapted to be moved into and out of the path of the vehicles approaching the bridge, and a separable connection between such bridge and said stop piece whereby said stop piece is moved to its operative position by the opening of the bridge and to its inoperative positions by the closing of the bridge.

8. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop piece for vehicles approaching the bridge flush with the surface along which the vehicle is traveling, an engaging piece on the bridge,

an actuating part connected with said stop piece and adapted to be engaged by said engaging piece, to positively move the stop piece when the bridge is opened, the engaging piece and actuating part being disconnected by the movement of the bridge.

9. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop piece for vehicles approaching the bridge flush with the surface along which the vehicle is traveling, an engaging piece on the bridge, an actuating part connected with said stop piece and adapted to be engaged by said engaging piece, to positively move the stop piece when the bridge is opened, the engaging piece and actuating part being disconnected by the movement 0 the bridge, and means associated with said bridge for moving the stop piece to its inoperative position when the bridge is closed.

10. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop device for vehicles flush with the surface along which the vehicle is traveling, and means for moving said stop device so that it will engage passing vehicles when the bridge is opened, said stop device located between the wheels of the vehicle.

11. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop device for vehicles flush with the surface along which the vehicle is traveling, and means for moving said stop device so that it will engage passing vehicles when the bridge is opened, said means out of the control of the operator of the vehicle, said stop device located between the wheels of the vehicle.

12. A stop device for vehicles comprising a stop piece, normally flush with the surface along which the vehicle travels, and comprising two pivoted parts between the rails on which the vehicle travels, the ends of said pivoted parts connected by a cross piece, and means for moving said stop device above the surface so as to engage such vehicles.

13. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop piece for vehicles approaching the bridge, an engaging device on the bridge, an actuating part associated therewith, a connecting piece operated by said actuating part and adapted to be connected to and disconnected therefrom, and a connection between said connecting piece and said stop piece whereby the stop piece is moved to its operative position when the bridge is opened.

14. The combination with a movable bridge of a stop piece for vehicles approaching the bridge located between the rails and flush with the surface along which the vehicle travels, an engaging piece on the bridge, an actuating part engaged by said engaging piece, and adapted to be connected to an disconnected therefrom, a shaft actuated by said actuating part, an arm on said shaft, a connecting piece connected with said arm, a second shaft operated by said connecting piece, and a connection between said latter shaft and said stop piece.

15. A stop device for vehicles comprising a pivotal stop piece normally out of the path of the vehicle and flush with the surface along which the vehicle is moving, said stop piece adapted to engage the car between its wheels and means out of the control of the operator of the car for automatically moving said stop piece to its operative position.

16. A stop device for vehicles comprising a stop piece adapted to be connected with a fixed part, means for moving said stop piece to its operative position so as to stop the car, and an elastic device between the car and the connection of said stop piece to said fixed art. p 17. A stop device for vehicles, comprising a U-shaped stop piece pivoted to a fixed part, means for moving said stop piece to its operative position, and a separate elastically mounted device on the car adapted to engage said stop piece.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS.

Witnesses:

EDNA K. REYNOLDS, LUCY A. FALKENBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

